Teachers now have to rely on Amazon wish lists and crowdfunding to get the classroom supplies they need to teach, writes Erin McCarthy and Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Many teachers find themselves spending hundreds of dollars at the start of the year to supply their classrooms. 

This was Megan Connell’s first wish list this year. She’s a 33-year-old art teacher in Delaware County.

“It’s been awesome to see the support,” she said. “A lot of my family and friends have been able to purchase the things off of my wish list,” covering half of the items she needed.

Her goal is to spend less than $100 of her own money this year. Previous years have cost her $300 to $400.

Delaware County high school English teacher Jeana Schreiber first shared an Amazon wish list before returning to school at the height of COVID. She got a lot of help that year, but aid has fallen off since.

The wish list “is still worth it,” the 29-year-old said. “As long as I put it out there, I know I tried to get my materials for my kids.”

Read more about teacher struggles to get classroom supplies in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Crowdfunding for school supplies is not a new phenomena, as seen in this news report from six years ago.